Stock-chute.



J. H. STUEPFERT.

STOCK OHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.15, 191s.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

THE NORRIS PETERS C04, PHOTC-LITHO., WASHINGTON, D. C.

H. STUEPFERT.

STOCK GHUTB.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.15, 1913.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 7R5 NORRIS PETER; (-0 I FHLTU-LITHQ, WASHINGYUH, D C.

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STOCK-GH'UTE.

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Application filed December 15, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JULIUs H. STUEPFERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Princeton, in the county of Bureau and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stock-Chutes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to stock chutes and more particularly to that class of devices for loading stock upon railroad cars, vessels, etc, and has for one of 1ts ob ects the provision of a stock chute for efficiently loading animals of all sizes.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a stock chute of a collapsible form which may be stored away when not in use and which will occupy but little space.

A'still further object of thls invention is the provision of a stock chute which combines strength, rigidity and which is practically indestructible.

A still further object of this invention 1s the provision of a stock chute which is durable, cheap to manufacture and wh ch can be easily set up or removed with little or no exertion.-

These and other objects will more fully appear and the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood as well as the construction, combination and arrangement o parts as described in the following specification, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: I

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device as the same appears when set up ready for use. Fig. 2 is a rear end view showing the supports, connections and the mounting of the bottom of the device. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the left half of the device showing the arrangement of the toggle connections and the antisllpping cleats arranged upon the bottom of the device. Fig. 4 is a rear end view of the device showing the same in a partially fold ed position.

Like reference characters denote similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings 1 indicates the rear end corner post and 2 the central posts Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915. Serial No. 806,875.

and which central posts 2 are somewhat longer than the corner post 1 and which posts 1 and 2 are formed of metal, preferably steel, and L-shaped in cross section, and arranged at the front end of the chute are the metallic posts 3 which posts are of sufiicient length to support the side members. Arranged at the lower end of the posts 1 and 2 are the supports 4 which supports are formed of metal and L-shaped and attached to the respective posts at the inner sides thereof through the medium of the bolts 5 or other suitable fastening means, the supports 4: which are attached to the post 1 being of greater length than those which are attached to the post 2-in order that the bot tom of the chute which rests upon the supports can be maintained in inclined position. Connected to the inner flange of the respec tive supports 41- are toggle connections which consist of the links 6 and 7 which links have one of their respective ends pivotally connected to the inner flanges of the supports 4 as at 8 and having their meeting ends pivotally connected at 9, the free ends of the links 6 are extended beyond the pivoted point 9 as at 10 and have arranged upon the top. edge of the end 10 of the links 6 the laterally extending lug 11 and which lug is adapted to be seated in the recess 12 formed in each of the links 7 to provide a straight edge thereof for the reception of the bottom of the device. t is to be noted that the links 7 of the toggle connections at the bottom of the posts 1 and 2 are not recessed this not being necessary from the fact that the same do not contact with the bottom of the device. It is to be further noted that the links 6 and 7 of the upper rearward toggle connections have their outer ends extended beyond the pivot point 8 as at 13 and which extended ends are provided with recesses adapted to register with corresponding recesses in the posts 1 and through which recesses the bolts 14 are adapted to pass for holding the extended ends 13 of the respective links 6 and 7 in secured relation with each of the posts 1.

Arranged at the upper ends of the central post 2 is the cross bar 15 which bar is connected at each of its ends to the post 2 through the medium of the bolts 16 and which bars 15 are adapted to hold the respective posts 2 in fixed spaced relation, the center posts being of sufficient height to permit the stock to readily pass under the bar when the same is loaded into a car or other means of transport. To sustain the posts 1 and the posts 2 in their respective vertical positions relative to each other the diagonal brace rods 17 are provided which rods are secured to the posts 2 adjacent the upper ends thereof through the means of the bolts 18 and the other ends of the rods 17 are fixedly secured adjacent the lower ends of the posts 1 through the means of the bolts 19, the toggle connections together with the cross bar 15 and the diagonal rods 17 combined to maintain the posts 1 and 2 in their fixed relative positions to each other.

Arranged upon the posts 1, 2 and 3 and at the inner sides thereof are'the metal strips 20 which strips are firmly secured to each of the respective posts by bolts 21, though rivets or other fastenings may be used in this instance, and positioned between the side members 20 and adapted to rest upon the sup- 7 ports l of the posts 1, the supports a of the only the bottom center posts 2 and the frontend of which is adapted to rest upon the ground, is the bottom 22 which bottom consists of metal strips arranged close together at the edges thereof and retained in such position by the transverse anti-slipping cleats 23 attached to the strips 22 by the bolts 2st or other suitable attaching means. The cleats 23 are formed L-shaped in'cross section and not provide means for holding the strips of 22 in assembled relation but also provide means for preventing the stock from slipping during their ascent upon the inclined bottom of the device. Arranged upon one of the side members 20 and at the bottom thereof are arranged the brackets 25 which brackets are positioned in alinement with certain of the transversely arranged cleats 23 and hingedly connected to the upwardly extending flanges of the respective cleats 23 through the medium of the bolts 26 adapted to be inserted through apertures formed in the flanges of the cleats 23 and the brackets 25 though any other suitable means for hingedly connecting the bottom with the brackets will answer.

Assuming the chute to have been initially set up for use and that it is desired to fold the same for storage thereof, it will only be necessary to remove one of the bolts 16 which secures the end of the bar 15 to one of the central posts 2 and. dispose the bar in the position shown in Fig. 4 and thereafter to remove the bolts 1 1 which secure the outer extended ends 13 of the links 6 and 7 to the posts 1, which operation requires only the removal of'three bolts to put the chute in a condition for folding, whereupon after the bottom 22 has been swung on the hinges 25 to a vertical position against the left hand side of the chute the toggle connections are then elevated from their horizontal positions by the upward movement of the lugs 11 at the ends 10, at which step the right hand side of the chute can be pushed inwardly toward the opposite side and against the bottom 22 thereby completing the folding of the chute and in this condition the same may be readily thus occupy minimum space. It is to be noted that in the construction of the chute the upper toggle members of the respective posts 1 and perform a double function as they provide spacing connections between the posts and also provide means for sustaining the bottom of the chute at its central medial line, the upper rearward toggle:

having the outer ends extended to form means for securing the same against upward movement at the pivot point 9 of the links and to thereby provide means for rig idly securing the members together.

It will be seen by the foregoing description that I have provided a stock chute formed wholly of metal, preferably of steel, and having the parts so arranged and corre lated that a most efficient as well as durable structure results and which comprises few parts, the assembling of the same being simple and which can be readily set up or collapsed in a very short period of time.

Although I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention I hereby reserve the right to make such alterations and variations therein as I may deem expedient and which will not depart from the spirit of this invention or conflict with the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invenstored and tion what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

a bottom arranged between said side members, means for hingedly connecting one side edge of said bottom with one of said side members to provide for the vertical swinging movement thereof, and collapsible means for maintaining said side members in spaced relation, said means being held in extended position by the weight of said bottom and also providing a support for said bottom when in lowered position.

2. A stock chute, comprising side members, a bottom arranged between said side members, hinge connections for said bottom, posts for sustaining said side members, supports arranged upon said posts for sustaining said bottom, and collapsible means connecting said supports and said posts for retaining same in spaced relation, said connecting means also providing for the folding of said chute.

8. A stock chute,,comprising side members, a bottom arranged between said side members, hinge connections for said bottom, posts for sustaining said side members, supports arranged upon said posts for sustaining said bottom, means connecting said supports and said posts for retaining the same in spaced relation, and means for securing said connecting means against movement.

4;. A stock chute, comprising side members, a bottom arranged between said side members, hinge connections for said bottom, posts for sustaining said side members, supports upon the said posts for sustaining said bottom, means connecting said supports and said posts for retaining the same'in spaced relation, and means for securing said connecting means against movement, said connecting means also adapted to provide for the folding of said chute when the same is in unsecured position.

5. A stock chute, comprising side members, a bottom arranged between said side members, hinge connections for said bottom, posts for sustaining said side members, supports arranged upon said posts for sustaining said bottom, means connecting said supports and said posts for retaining the same in spaced relation, means for securing said connecting means against movement, said connecting means also adapted to provide for the folding of said chute when the same is in unsecured position, and L-shaped anti-slipping cleats arrangedupon said bottom for securing the strips thereoi in fixed relation and also to prevent the slipping of the stock during their ascent, certain of said cleats forming a part of the hinge connections for said bottom.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JULIUS H. STUEPFERT.

Witnesses:

JOHN EsBY, C. B. LONG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

